After Valentines Day, people often ask each other, “What did you do?” eyes wide with anticipation to hear the big reveal… “We spent a weekend away in the wine country.” “He bought me...
Category - Healthy Relationships
The Ebb and Flow of Marriage
Marriages change over time. Couples who are able to navigate the ebb and flow of their relationships have an advantage in doing better over the long haul. Consider for a moment how much you’ve changed in your...
5 Soothing Tips for Making Up after Conflict
Not many people actually enjoy conflict. Whether it’s a fight with a friend, a rift with a co-worker, or a blowout with your significant other, conflict hurts. But the alternative is lingering grudges, endless...
5 Steps to Create Positive Change in Your Relationship
You love your partner. And sometimes you make mistakes that hurt your partner. Some of those mistakes might be from patterns similar to what was modeled to you in your family of origin and the mistakes are inadvertent...
10 Characteristics of Successful Relationships
People seeking couples counseling seek change to a relationship dynamic that isn’t working in some way. The problems can include poor communication, lack of emotional safety, resentment, trust violations and...
5 Tips to Practice Self Care in your Relationships
It’s just as important to take care of yourself while in a relationship – as tending to the relationship itself. The same thing goes for your friendships, family and others in your inner circle. To be the...
Intimate Relationships Require More Than Good Communication
Richard Nicastro, PhD deconstructs communication in intimate relationships and the impact of relationship lethargy. Couples can get into bad habits around the kinds of questions asked and other blocks to truly engaging...
This Valentines Day Learn to Speak Their Love Language
Joy Nordenstrom, love coach and matchmaker, speaks to couples and singles about the importance of understanding love languages. For Valentines Day, you can make use of this information in how you honor your sweetie (or...
In Marriage, It’s Hugs Before Business
Keith Miller, LICSW shares an intimate look at his marriage to demonstrate a common occurrence for many couples; a focus on life logistics to the extent that one or both feel like a business partner. The other day my...
Improve Your Connections
How do you rate yourself as a partner? A friend? A parent? Can you and those you care about benefit from improvement in the connections you have with them? Relationships are like a dance, a two-way street. Like any...